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enPalace boss Pardew rues Remy's two-month lay-offAfter seeing loan signing Loic Remy injured for up to two months, Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew has conceded his disappointment.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/palace-boss-pardew-rues-remys-two-month-lay
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has professed his disappointment at seeing loan signing Loic Remy ruled out for up to two months.
The French forward, who previously played under Pardew at Newcastle United, was signed from Chelsea on a temporary deal in the final days of the transfer window.
However, after suffering an injury in training, Remy returned to his parent club for treatment, and the Palace boss admitted his absence is a blow ahead of his side's clash with Middlesbrough.
"Remy's got a tear in his thigh," Pardew told a news conference. "It's an area where recovery is difficult, so we have to be very, very careful.
"We're so disappointed, because he's looked great. We have enough cover for now, but look forward to his return in seven to eight weeks."
Remy's compatriot Mathieu Flamini has also been brought in by Palace following his release from Arsenal, and he is in contention for the trip to the Riverside.
"Whenever I watched Arsenal when Mathieu was in the side, he always gave them that winning mentality, that will to get over the line," Pardew added.
"That mentality is what I want to add here. So he can be the figurehead of that move.
"He'll be pushing the likes of Joe Ledley and Yohan Cabaye - and I think he will push them very, very hard."
news_articleFri, 09 Sep 2016 09:29:52 +0000Anonymous625028 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPalace confirm Flamini signingFormer Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini has joined Crystal Palace..http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/palace-confirm-flamini-signing
Crystal Palace have announced the signing of Mathieu Flamini until the end of the season.
The 32-year-old midfielder was a free agent after being released by Arsenal in July, ending his second spell with the north London club.
"Crystal Palace is a very ambitious club with great players and I am looking forward to being part of that squad," Flamini, who will wear the number four shirt, said in a statement on the club website.
"It is a very interesting challenge for me and I am very excited to be here. I have had chance to discuss the move here with Alan Pardew and he really helped me make my decision."
Manager Alan Pardew added: "I thought it was important to get another midfield player. His playing ability will help us but also his leadership qualities and his ability of how to win games in a passing style. I am delighted that we have secured a player of his stature."
BREAKING: #CPFC are delighted to announce the signing of @mathieuflamini ! #WelcomeMathieu pic.twitter.com/C0tF27DHHX
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 8, 2016
Capped three times by France, Flamini joined the Gunners from Marseille in 2004, leaving for AC Milan in 2008 and returning to north London in 2013.
He will compete with countryman Yohan Cabaye, as well as Scotland's James McArthur and Joe Ledley of Wales for a place in midfield at Selhurst Park.
Flamini offers reinforcement in front of the back four following the sale of former club captain Mile Jedinak to Aston Villa last month.
He follows Steve Mandanda, Andros Townsend, James Tomkins and Christian Benteke in signing for Palace during this transfer window, with Loic Remy also joining on loan from Chelsea.
news_articleThu, 08 Sep 2016 10:40:48 +0000Anonymous624623 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPardew wants Flamini at PalaceMathieu Flamini, 32, is a free agent after leaving Arsenal in the off-season and Crystal Palace are looking to sign the veteran Frenchman.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/pardew-wants-flamini-palace
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has confirmed his interest in Mathieu Flamini, having met with the former Arsenal midfielder.
Flamini, 32, is a free agent after leaving Arsenal in the off-season and Palace are among a number of clubs looking to sign the veteran Frenchman.
Pardew wants to add one more midfielder to his squad, following the departure of Mile Jedinak, but the Palace boss is wary of missing out on Flamini, having seen Jack Wilshere opt for Bournemouth.
"There is scope to bring in one more into the squad - I did that on purpose as I thought there might be a player we can take who is not under contract, who might just fit what we're doing," said Pardew, whose Palace have opened the Premier League season with two losses and a draw.
"Mathieu is a player I am looking at, yes. He would give us a bit more experience to winning games.
"I like the fact whenever he played, he played in the big, big games at Arsenal when they needed someone to kind of lead the team over the line and get big results.
"Mathieu's name was always on that list. I have always admired what he's done, so I am looking at him.
"His age, 32, in my mind I signed Teddy Sheringham when he was 38, so the age isn't a problem for me. I think his experience is something I am looking at, yes."
Pardew added: "We've had a couple of meetings with Mathieu to talk about what he would do here and how he would feel about competing with [Yohan] Cabaye, [James] McArthur, [Jason] Puncheon, [Jordon] Mutch, Chung [Yong Lee] and [Joe] Ledley.
"I think another one [in midfield] is where I'm going to go with it, but whether it's him or not, I don't know.
"We do face strong competition for him, but mainly from clubs who have got a much higher profile than us.
"It could well be a situation like Jack Wilshere, where we are in there but don't get it over the line.
"There are others we are considering. There are one or two others floating about who are always of interest."
news_articleTue, 06 Sep 2016 23:41:37 +0000Anonymous623972 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comAdebayor and Flamini set to sign for Caykur RizesporThe Turkish Super Lig is about to get two more ex-Premier League talents as Mathieu Flamini and Emmanuel Adebayor look set for Rizespor.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/adebayor-and-flamini-set-sign-caykur-rizespor
Turkish club Caykur Rizespor are on the verge of completing a double swoop for ex-Arsenal duo Mathieu Flamini and Emmanuel Adebayor.
The pair will join one-time Liverpool goalkeeper Charles Itandje in Rize on free transfers after their respective contracts at Arsenal and Crystal Palace were not renewed at the end of the 2015-16 season.
Adebayor has a proven track record at the highest level, scoring 46 league goals for Arsenal in a three-year stay at Emirates Stadium before spells with Manchester City, Real Madrid and Tottenham, while former AC Milan midfielder Flamini made 242 appearances across two spells with the Gunners.
"We reached an agreement in principle with both players," Caykur Rizespor coach Hikmet Karaman told Anadolu Agency.
"They'll come to Rize within a few days and the last step of negotiations are going to be done.
"This is down to everyone devotedly working to finish the deals, so I have to thank the board of directors and our president."
Caykur Rizespor played their opening game of the Turkish Super Lig season on Saturday, when a late equaliser from Emrah Bassan ensured a 1-1 draw with Konyaspor.
news_articleSun, 21 Aug 2016 11:29:40 +0000Anonymous616777 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comThe problem with Flamini: a short-term patch over a long-term holeArsenals two-time midfielder has filled in for a large part of the season, but Robert OConnor says it really shouldnt have been that wayRobert O'Connorhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/problem-flamini-short-term-patch-over-long-term-hole
It took Arsene Wenger years to solve his problem in defensive midfield. The Patrick Vieira-shaped hole that opened up in 2005, and saw countless title challenges slip through it, looks like it has been filled now –in the medium-term at least –with the coming of age in 2015 of Francis Coquelin.
The Frenchman’s absence since being injured at West Brom in November, however, left Arsenal short, with no reinforcements brought in during the summer or January windows. Wenger once again put his faith in ‘internal solutions’.
Need for speed
For most of that three-month spell the solution has been Mathieu Flamini, who has been anchoring midfield while Aaron Ramsey patrols higher up, but who at 31 years old is beginning to show signs that his utility as a regular starter is on the wane. His contract is up at the season’s end, and it seems unlikely that it will be renewed.
Against Bournemouth the signs were there early. Seven minutes in he was caught out in possession high up the pitch, hustled off the ball as he tried to carry it forward by three energetic Bournemouth players keen to force the tempo early on at the Vitality Stadium. Moments later he was fortunate to escape a red card for a two-footed challenge on Dan Gosling, with frustration setting in early as the pace of the game hurried away from him.
It set the tone for a difficult first half for Flamini, which bordered on the ineffective. The Frenchman made just one successful tackle during the first 45 minutes, failed to recover possession once and made just one successful interception.
It’s that ability to break up play and recycle the ball in the Vieira mould that has whipped up such optimism about Coquelin as the former captain’s full-time successor, but against Bournemouth, Arsenal were lacking that balance of power and precision.
Safety first
Flamini’s struggles were most obvious in the moments when his midfield partner Ramsey was at his best. At one point late in the first half, with Arsenal 2-0 up and in control, Ramsey received the ball in his own half with his back to goal and spun effortlessly away from the attentions of two markers to break upfield with the ball.
It was the kind of channelling from the back four that used to spark wave after wave of Arsenal attacks, but with Flamini occupying one of the deep midfield berths those moves have slowed – the Frenchman no longer shows the ball control or physical power to receive the ball, turn and play.
He seemed reluctant to receive the ball from his back four throughout. More troubling, though, was his difficulty in turning with the ball and looking forwards. Just fewer than half of his 47 attempted passes were forwards, with his most frequently completed pass being backwards to Laurent Koscielny, which he attempted nine times.
Conversely, he received only four from his back four in the defensive half of the pitch in 90 minutes, with Nacho Monreal being the principal conduit out of defence down the left channel towards Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.
Repair kit
The left side proved a fruitful outlet for Arsenal on a day when they were far from their fluid best. For the first goal, Ozil fed the ball to Flamini from the wing, and the Frenchman kept the move going at a good pace with a slick ball inside to Hector Bellerin. In turn, the Spaniard fed Ramsey to provide Ozil’s goal. It was Flamini’s most effective contribution of the game, breaking free from his position as the team’s anchor and floating into a position to provide enough numbers for Arsenal to tap their way through.
It was a reminder that Flamini still has a role to play at Arsenal, reminiscent of the two goals he scored in the 2-1 win at White Hart Lane in November’s League Cup tie that seemed to reignite not just his season but career after a spell in the cold. That night he was on hand to sweep home a loose ball from close range and then thump in a volley from 18 yards, reminding Wenger that he can still make an effective contribution to his team’s rapid transition play.
But there is a hole that needs repairing deeper in the Arsenal machine, and Flamini’s powers there are weakening. On the hour mark, Gunners outcast Benik Afobe skipped past him like he wasn’t there, leaving the back four exposed as they have been so often by the team’s fragile midfield.
Arsenal’s title rivals in recent seasons have all been heavily reliant on that kind of imposing presence in the middle of the pitch; players able to break up and generate movement almost in one movement. Yaya Toure and Nemanja Matic have been instrumental in that role for Manchester City and Chelsea respectively in the last two seasons, N’Golo Kante similarly this year for Leicester. Andrew Surman dispossessed Flamini with ease in the same position late in the game, as Arsenal continued to look underpowered in the middle.
Coquelin's return
After 70 minutes of hesitant play he miscontrolled on halfway under pressure from a Bournemouth midfield that harried to the end. He sought refuge, again, in Koscielny some 20 yards behind; a promising sequence of snappy passing broke down at his feet.
Coquelin’s first Premier League appearance in nearly three months – he replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with a quarter of the game to go – will have come as a welcome sight to Arsenal fans. Those 25 minutes will have gone some way towards restoring him to fitness ahead of Leicester’s visit to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
But it’s hard to think that Flamini, a dependable lieutenant for Wenger for so many years across two spells in north London, has no part to play in the title run-in. As he showed at White Hart Lane there is still a dynamic streak to the former Milan man’s game, a fuse that can burn for short spells when required to step in and provide bite higher up the pitch.
As for filling the gap vacated by his countryman a decade ago, however, the time has come for another Frenchman to assume responsibility.
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featureWed, 10 Feb 2016 14:10:54 +0000Joe Brewin517873 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comHowe: Flamini should have seen redEddie Howe believes Arsenal should have had Mathieu Flamini sent off in AFC Bournemouth's home defeat on Sunday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/howe-flamini-should-have-seen-red
AFC Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe felt Mathieu Flamini should have seen red early in Arsenal's 2-0 Premier League win at the Vitality Stadium.
Howe's men lost for the first time in four top-flight games thanks to goals from Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the space of 88 seconds midway through the first-half.
But that was after Flamini had been shown a yellow card for a heavy ninth-minute challenge on Dan Gosling, with the Bournemouth manager feeling referee Kevin Friend got the decision wrong.
"I thought it was a red," Howe told Sky Sports. "I had a very good view, it looked like it was two-footed and potentially off the floor.
"I have only seen it live but my initial view was definite red card. I am going on first viewing but for me it was not a difficult decision. I felt that the two-footed challenge has been outlawed and it was a red card."
Howe did not feel Bournemouth were their usual selves until the second half, by which point they had a two-goal deficit to try and make up.
He added: "We were slow out of the blocks, which is unlike us. If you give a team like Arsenal time on the ball they will punish you.
"We were much-improved in the second half without getting that goal to put them under pressure, but we kept fighting.
"The quality that they have got in the front positions decided it. Early in the game we found it difficult to get pressure on the ball to really influence their possession and ultimately on the back of that they scored two goals."
Bournemouth's next two matches are also at home against Stoke City in the Premier League and Everton in the FA Cup.news_articleSun, 07 Feb 2016 17:09:41 +0000Anonymous516761 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comArsenal had to respond to Leicester win - RamseyWith Leicester City having taken apart Manchester City on Saturday, Aaron Ramsey was delighted that Arsenal responded at AFC Bournemouth.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/arsenal-had-respond-leicester-win-ramsey
Aaron Ramsey says Arsenal's 2-0 win at AFC Bournemouth was badly needed in order to respond to Premier League leaders Leicester City's excellent victory at Manchester City on Saturday.
Leicester put Manuel Pellegrini's men to the sword with a 3-1 win in a top-of-the-table contest at the Etihad Stadium.
That result meant Arsenal - who had failed to win their previous four league matches - were eight points adrift of the summit heading into their clash at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, but first-half goals from Mesut Ozil and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain trimmed the gap back to five.
Arsenal subsequently jumped above City into third place, and midfielder Ramsey is now focusing on next weekend's mouth-watering contest against Leicester at Emirates Stadium.
"We needed it badly. We realised what Leicester did on Saturday and we needed to close that gap so it was important to get back to winning ways," he told Sky Sports.
"We put in a shift and the game was won in the first half really. There was no room for error and the boys responded really well.
"We have a big game against Leicester next week so I am sure that will be one that everyone will be interested in seeing, but hopefully we can keep this winning run that we are on now."
Team-mate Mathieu Flamini echoed Ramsey's sentiments, saying: "Of course it was important to get back with a victory. We played well in the first half and defended our two goals in the second half.
"It was a good team effort and I am very happy for the team and for the fans. It was a deserved three points."
On the Leicester contest, Flamini added: "Of course it is going to be a big game. But first what we are going to do now is recover because it was a tough game. It is a tough game next week, very important for us and we have to win it."news_articleSun, 07 Feb 2016 16:09:54 +0000Anonymous516723 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comFocus: The battle between ex-team-mates that could decide Arsenal vs ChelseaArsenals French midfielder could struggle to contain the Blues Spanish playmaker after his move into a more advanced role, says Alex Keble...Alex Keblehttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/focus-battle-between-ex-team-mates-could-decide-arsenal-vs-chelsea
Guus Hiddink has gone through the same process with Cesc Fabregas as Jose Mourinho did this season, albeit realising the Spaniard’s strengths and weaknesses far sooner than his predecessor. For Chelsea's 3-3 draw with Everton, Fabregas was taken out of central midfield and given a free role in the No.10 position, and to great effect; it could be the decisive factor this weekend as the former Arsenal player is matched up with Mathieu Flamini.
Fabregas had 97 touches of the ball against Everton (more than any other player) and created three chances, ending the match with a goal and an assist. Hiddink has perhaps realised that Fabregas is not agile or hard-working enough to function as a box-to-box central midfielder, but is still superb at ghosting unseen into pockets of space between the opponents’ midfielders. Muhamed Besic and Gareth Barry managed only two interceptions between them last weekend.
Flamini continues to be the question mark in Arsenal’s team despite their good run of form in Francis Coquelin’s absence. Against trickier attacking midfielders he is often outplayed, such as by Sadio Mane in the 4-0 defeat to Southampton and Roberto Firmino in the 3-3 draw with Liverpool. The Frenchman failed to make a single tackle or interception in the No.10 zone in either of these games. It is certainly worth keeping an eye on here.
Work ahead
Few of the weaknesses that have undermined Chelsea this season have been fixed by Hiddink. All three goals conceded last weekend came down Chelsea’s right, with the first and third in particular fitting a very familiar pattern: Branislav Ivanovic remains vulnerable (though he's still netted a new contract).
Theo Walcott has started on that side of the pitch in each of the last seven league games, so it is highly likely that he will be Ivanovic’s direct opponent this weekend. Walcott’s pace on that wing is likely to prove a major distraction for the Chelsea defence and keep Willian and Ivanovic occupied. On the overlap, Nacho Monreal could play a big role in breaking through the Chelsea backline.
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featureFri, 22 Jan 2016 16:56:26 +0000Alasdair Mackenzie509630 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comFocus: How Stoke's front three could punish Arsenal on the breakMark Hughes side will be aiming for another big scalp and Alex Keble can see them catching out the Gunners on the counter...Alex Keblehttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/focus-how-stokes-front-three-could-punish-arsenal-break
Stoke’s victories over Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United earlier this season were proof that their exciting front three are at their best when Stoke play in a counter-attacking style. The short-passing philosophy Mark Hughes is attempting to install at the Britannia can leave Xherdan Shaqiri, Marco Arnautovic and Bojan looking lightweight and deceptively poor, leaving critics slightly bemused as to why they are unable to score more goals.
The visit of Arsenal should meant they play on the back foot and, up against Mathieu Flamini, find plenty of space in the final third.
In those three major scalps from 2015, Stoke averaged just 42.8% possession but Shaqiri, Bojan and Arnautovic created 14 chances between them; the vast majority were from quick, direct attacks through the centre-right zone. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Shaqiri’s pinpoint through balls, Bojan’s excellent runs into the channels and Arnautovic’s powerful dribbling are most prominent when they are driving directly at the heart of a back-peddling defence.
Arsenal’s high full-backs and possession-dominant approach (55.8% average) make them particularly vulnerable this weekend. Nacho Monreal in particular is prone to drifting too far forward and leaving space in behind (where Shaqiri will be lurking), and Mathieu Flamini’s weakness in central midfield will only increase the likelihood that Stoke will break successfully.
Last season, Arsenal averaged 1.4 points per match without Francis Coquelin in the team and 2.35 with him, and although they looked strong without him in December they almost exclusively played against relegation candidates. The 4-0 defeat to Southampton and 3-3 draw with Liverpool more accurately reflect their problems when Coquelin is out of the side; Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were dominant in central areas. Bojan, Shaqiri, and Arnautovic will take confidence from this.
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featureFri, 15 Jan 2016 17:23:33 +0000Alasdair Mackenzie506515 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comOzil is happy and comfortable at Arsenal - FlaminiMathieu Flamini feels Mesut Ozil's happiness and comfort at Arsenal is they key to the German's superb form this season.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/ozil-happy-and-comfortable-arsenal-flamini
Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flaimini feels team-mate Mesut Ozil is happy and comfortable at the club as he proves his status as one of the game's top players this season.
The Germany international has three goals and 16 assists in 19 Premier League appearances in 2015-16, form that has helped the Gunners to the top of the table.
Ozil's contract has two-and-a-half years to run on his contract, with both the player and manager Arsene Wenger insisting there is no rush to negotiate an extension.
But Flamini appears confident that Ozil is more than satisfied with life at the Emirates Stadium, saying it is a pleasure to play with the 27-year-old.
"I am very pleased for him," Flamini told Arsenal's official website.
"We all knew he was a top player but I am glad he is proving it every game. I believe he is [happy] here and we have such a great atmosphere here that it makes it very easy for him to feel comfortable.
"We are close friends and we have a good time on and off the pitch. That is very important because, if you want to be able to perform, you have to feel happy in your head and feel confident off the pitch.
"It is very important to have him on our side because, as you can all see, he can make the difference at any time.
"He has been giving so many assists and has been making so much difference in the past few games, so it is a pleasure to play next to him and it is also a pleasure to watch him on the pitch.
"His vision is something that you do not find very often, so he is easily one of the best players I have ever played with."
news_articleTue, 05 Jan 2016 18:37:12 +0000Anonymous501916 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comArsenal a long way from Premier League title - FlaminiArsenal recorded a valuable 2-1 win over Manchester City on Monday, but Mathieu Flamini says they cannot get carried away by title talk.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/arsenal-long-way-premier-league-title-flamini
Mathieu Flamini has warned Arsenal not to become distracted by talk of a Premier League title challenge following their victory over Manchester City.
Goals from Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud ensured Arsene Wenger's side moved to within two points of leaders Leicester City ahead of a packed schedule of matches over the Christmas period.
While Flamini acknowledged the win serves as the perfect "early present" for the players, he insists there is still a long way to go in the title race.
"We play against them quite regularly so we know what to expect. We played well with great solidarity and I’m pleased for everyone, the players and the fans, and it was an early Christmas present," he said.
"We are very far from winning the title because it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. We're doing well at the moment and the communication on the pitch, the team spirit and the football is amazing.
"We enjoyed it because there was a lot of emotion on the pitch, off the pitch and we were victorious so I am so pleased for everyone."
Mesut Ozil drew plaudits following another impressive display against City and Flamini is delighted with the Germany international's form this season following criticism of some inconsistent displays in his Arsenal career to date.
"I'm happy for him because he's a top guy on the pitch and off it as well," the Frenchman added. "We knew he was a top player and he's proving it every day. Everyone in the team is happy for him and we're pleased to have him on our side."news_articleTue, 22 Dec 2015 10:57:13 +0000Anonymous496663 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comWalcott competition helped Giroud - FlaminiArsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini praised Olivier Giroud and said Theo Walcott's form had helped the striker improve.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/walcott-competition-helped-giroud-flamini
Olivier Giroud has taken his game to another level due to competition from Theo Walcott, according to Arsenal team-mate Mathieu Flamini.
Giroud starred as Arsenal beat Olympiacos 3-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday to advance from Group F.
The France international had found himself behind Walcott for a place up-front in Arsene Wenger's side earlier this season.
Flamini believes that was good for Giroud, who has lifted his game due to being pushed by Walcott.
"Competition is very important in the big teams – it makes players stronger and that is what happened," Flamini said.
"It is tough competition up front and Olivier is responding very well because he is playing better and better. That is part of the game and if you want to play at a big club you have that competition."
Giroud stepped up when Arsenal needed him most, with his hat-trick seeing them sneak through to the last 16 in the Champions League.
Flamini said the 29-year-old deserved all the plaudits he was receiving.
"All great strikers have to respond in the big games and he responded well. It was a great performance from him and he helped the team very much and is a top scorer," he said.
"He deserves the credit and I think he gets it.
"I have not seen it anywhere or from anyone that he is not a top goal-scorer and he is proving it on the pitch so is doing very well.
"I am glad and happy for him."news_articleFri, 11 Dec 2015 01:26:08 +0000Anonymous491724 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comFocus: Flamini and Campbell will be crucial for Arsenal's trip to NorwichThe absence of the influential Francis Coquelin could give the Canaries an opportunity to snatch a win, but Campbell could be a key threat on the wing, saysAlex Keble...Alex Keblehttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/focus-flamini-and-campbell-will-be-crucial-arsenals-trip-norwich
With one win in eight league matches, Norwich are in danger of being sucked into the relegation places before Christmas, but the narrow 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge will have given Alex Neil and his team confidence that they can cause an upset against Arsenal this weekend.
As injuries ravage the Gunners' squad, it's two of their forced replacements – Joel Campbell and Mathieu Flamini – who could be the difference at either end of the pitch.
Francis Coquelin’s injury is a huge blow to Arsenal’s title hopes. Last season they averaged 1.4 points per match without Coquelin and 2.35 with him; this season, they have accrued just three points from the three matches in which Coquelin has played 45 minutes or less, and 23 points from the 10 games in which he has played for more than half the match. It came as no surprise to see West Brom win at The Hawthorns after the Frenchman limped off.
Flamini averages just 1.6 interceptions per 90 minutes, and can often be accused of poor decision-making by leaving his protective post in front of the back four. This weekend is a good opportunity for Nathan Redmond, playing in the No.10 role, to rediscover his early season form.
Redmond’s speed, dribbling skills and vision could be decisive in the central pockets of space that inevitably open up when Flamini is asked to protect the back four.
At the other end, the key area could be on Costa Rican Campbell’s side, where left-back Martin Olsson is struggling for form. Olsson failed to make a single tackle or interception against Chelsea, failed to clear properly three times and fouled Willian twice; a repeat of this against Campbell, and Arsenal will surely canter to victory. Campbell looks brighter with each match, and the directness of his dribbling against Zagreb was an example of the sort of piercing movement Arsenal require against deep-lying opponents.
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featureFri, 27 Nov 2015 16:56:59 +0000Joe Brewin485846 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comArsenal v Dinamo Zagreb: Doping scandal overshadows pivotal clashArijan Ademi's four-year doping ban has cast a cloud over Dinamo Zagreb's pivotal Champions League trip to face Arsenal.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/arsenal-v-dinamo-zagreb-doping-scandal-overshadows-pivotal-clash
Arsenal face a crucial Champions League clash with Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday but much of the pre-match talk has centred on a doping controversy from the reverse fixture.
Midfielder Arijan Ademi failed a drugs test following Dinamo's surprise 2-1 victory over Arsene Wenger's side on matchday one and has been banned for four years by UEFA, though he has always protested his innocence.
Wenger has called for more stringent testing within football and claims there is a prevalent assumption within the sport that doping is not a major problem.
However, Dinamo coach Zoran Mamic branded the decision to ban Ademi as "idiocy" as he confirmed an appeal would be taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
"We are all shocked," Mamic said. "This is idiocy to punish a lad like this after he and experts have proven his supplement was polluted and accepted that he didn't know about it.
"Yes, he should have been more careful, the rules are strict, but to suspend him for four years is idiocy. And I wonder what would the fine be if it was some Arsenal, Manchester United, Bayern Munich or some other high-ranked club's player?"
Both sides must win to keep their hopes of progression alive, although victory will be immaterial if Bayern Munich and Olympiacos draw in Group F's other fixture, a result that would take the German and Greek sides through.
The Gunners' form has taken a dip in November, with their 5-1 thrashing by Bayern followed by a 1-1 draw in the derby with Tottenham and a 2-1 loss away to West Brom at the weekend.
Wenger has bemoaned Arsenal's recent injury problems and they suffered further blows at the weekend as Francis Coquelin was forced off with a knee injury before his replacement Mikel Arteta was substituted with a calf problem. Both will face tests to determine if they can face Dinamo.
Theo Walcott (calf), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hamstring), Jack Wilshere (leg), Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky (both knee) are all out, but Wenger stated on Friday that Aaron Ramsey should be fit to return following a hamstring issue.
Dinamo will be without the suspended Josip Pivaric as well as Ademi, while Domagoj Antolic and Gordon Schildenfeld (both thigh) are injured.
The Croatian champions have seen their season hit the stumbling blocks since Bayern ended their 45-game unbeaten run, having lost five of their last 10 in all competitions and keeping just one clean sheet in 12.
Dinamo have also failed to win any of their last 11 away Champions League matches, but the omens do not entirely favour an Arsenal side who are one defeat short of 50 in the competition: Wenger's men have not won back-to-back home games in the tournament since 2012, and only Maccabi Tel Aviv and BATE (both 11) have conceded more than Arsenal's 10 goals so far this term.news_articleSun, 22 Nov 2015 16:43:06 +0000Anonymous483725 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com​Flamini eager to shrug off League Cup exitMathieu Flamini is keen not to dwell on Arsenal's suprise League Cup exit at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/flamini-eager-shrug-league-cup-exit
Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini has called on his team-mates to put their League Cup exit behind them and concentrate on maintaining their impressive Premier League form.
Arsene Wenger's men were sent crashing out in the fourth round by Championship side Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Tuesday, with injuries to Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain worsening matters.
The 3-0 loss came in the midst of some impressive Arsenal form, having defeating Bayern Munich in the Champions League while battling their way to joint-top of the Premier League with Manchester City after victories against Leicester City, Manchester United, Watford and Everton.
And Flamini believes a win against Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday would be the perfect antidote to shrug off the surprise cup exit.
"It is one of the positive things, you can say, playing every three days that we can make sure we rectify the direction because we have been on a good run," he told the club's official website.
"We must forget about this one and move forward."
Early injuries to Oxlade-Chamberlain and his replacement Walcott were described as "damaging" by Wenger, who faces an anxious wait on the pair's long-term fitness.
"They were [costly] injuries because we lost two players in 20 minutes and they are going to be out for I don't know how long," Flamini added.
"That is difficult for us on top of the victory for the other team.
"It happened again but now we have to move forward and forget about this game. It was not a good performance but it is like that."news_articleWed, 28 Oct 2015 13:25:01 +0000Anonymous472922 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com